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Peking style roast duck with pancakes

This homemade roast duck is a main course for 6, with shiny crackling skin, served with pancakes everyone rolls themselves. It takes 45 minutes of active work spread over the day before and the day of, rated medium difficulty, for about €7.80 per person. Success depends on drying the duck overnight in the fridge, which crisps the skin without burning it in the oven.

A homemade roast duck with shiny, crackling skin, where everyone rolls their own pancake with cucumber and scallion, just like in Beijing.

Peking style roast duck with pancakes
For
6 people
Work
45 min
Total time
16 h 40
Prep
Prepared the day before
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€7.80
Calories per person
860 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach

Peking style duck is all about that skin cracking under your teeth while the meat underneath stays tender, coated in a honey and soy glaze that caramelizes slowly in the oven. It's nothing like store bought roast duck, which tends to run too fatty or too dry. Here the texture comes from a long overnight dry and a two step glazing, with very few complicated moves involved.

This is the kind of dish you bring out for a dinner party that breaks from routine, or a family meal where everyone serves themselves and rolls their own pancake with cucumber and scallion, just like in Beijing. It fits well into a simple menu, a light clear soup to start, the duck as the main event, and something fresh for dessert to balance out the richness of the glaze.

The schedule

What happens when, so you can be with your guests instead of in the kitchen.

  1. The day before 2 steps, 15 min
  2. The same day Nothing to do
  3. Before the guests arrive 2 steps, 1 h 50
  4. When it's time to serve 1 step, 15 min

The day before, you blanch the ducks, glaze them, and let them dry overnight in the fridge on a rack. The day of, right before guests arrive, you roast the ducks and prep the cucumber, scallions, and hoisin sauce while they cook. At serving time, you carve the skin and meat and warm the pancakes, then everyone builds their own wrap at the table.

The ingredients

6 people

Butcher

  • Whole ducks (about 1.8 kg each) 2

Pantry

  • Honey (or maltose if available)often in the pantry 6 tbsp
  • Soy sauceoften in the pantry 6 tbsp
  • Rice or wine vinegaroften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Five spice powderoften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Hoisin sauce 8 tbsp
  • Sesame oiloften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Fresh ginger 30 g
  • Cucumbers 2
  • Scallions 2 bunch

Bakery

  • Wheat pancakes or tortillas 24

Allergens Gluten, Soy, Sesame

The recipe, moment by moment

The day beforeWhat's better after resting overnight in the fridge.

  1. Blanch the ducks for ten seconds under a stream of near boiling water to tighten the skin, then dry them thoroughly. 15 min

    Never leave the boiling water on for more than a few seconds, the skin just needs to tighten up.

  2. Mix honey, soy sauce, vinegar, five spice, and ginger into a glaze, brush the ducks all over, then let them dry uncovered on a rack in the fridge overnight.

    Set a tray underneath to catch the drips and leave them uncovered so air can circulate.

Before the guests arriveThe last hour, right before the doorbell rings.

  1. Take the ducks out, prick the skin without piercing the meat, and roast at 180°C on a rack with a tray underneath. 1 h 40

    Brush with glaze again halfway through roasting for a deep, shiny finish.

  2. Cut the cucumber into sticks, slice the scallions into strips, and prepare the hoisin sauce with a touch of sesame oil. 10 min

    Curl the scallions into thin shreds in ice water, they'll coil up nicely.

When it's time to serveThe final touches, right in front of your guests.

  1. Let the ducks rest for ten minutes, carve the skin and meat separately, and warm the pancakes in a steamer or in the oven under a damp cloth. 15 min

    Plate the skin separately, crisp, so it stays crunchy right up until it hits the mouth.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick ducks that feel dry to the touch with no excess water under the skin, otherwise the fridge drying will take longer for the same crackling result.
  • Prick the skin only, never the meat, so the fat can render out during roasting without drying out the flesh.
  • If you don't have a rack that fits your roasting pan, prop the ducks up on two improvised stands, air needs to circulate all around during both the drying and the cooking.

The variations

  • Swap the honey for maltose if you can find it at an Asian grocery store, the glaze will turn out shinier and stickier, closer to the traditional version.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the duck with portobello mushrooms brushed with the same glaze and roasted in the oven, the crunch will differ but the sauce stays true to the original.
  • To save time, buy an already cooked duck from an Asian deli and spend your time on the pancakes and vegetables instead, the presentation still does the work.

What to serve it with

  • A light ginger soup to start
  • Plain steamed rice on the side
  • A fresh fruit dessert for contrast

Storage

Meat and skin keep for 2 days in the fridge in a sealed container, though the skin loses its crackle after a few hours. Reheat the meat gently in the oven and steam the pancakes again, this dish doesn't freeze well because of the skin's texture.

Questions about this recipe

Can you roast the duck without a proper rack?

Yes, prop the duck up on two improvised stands in the pan, like balls of foil. What matters is that air circulates all around during both drying and roasting so the skin crisps evenly.

What hoisin sauce works best with roast duck?

Store bought hoisin sauce works just fine, thinned with a little sesame oil it gets extra depth with no extra effort. Avoid overly sweet versions, they tend to mask the flavor of the glaze.

How should you plate roast duck for the best presentation?

Always keep the crispy skin separate from the meat on the serving plate, otherwise the two textures blend and the skin goes soft against the warm meat. Arrange the pancakes, cucumber, and scallions around it so everyone can build their own wrap.

Is roast duck a good fit for a meal with kids?

Kids usually enjoy rolling their own pancake, but the five spice and ginger glaze can surprise sensitive palates. You can make a milder version with less five spice for them.

Can a homemade Peking style roast duck with pancakes be made ahead?

Yes, it's even recommended. The recipe needs 45 min of work in total, split up like this, the day before, 2 steps, before the guests arrive, 2 steps, when it's time to serve, 1 step.

How long does it take to make a homemade Peking style roast duck with pancakes?

Allow 16 h 40 in total, including resting and cooking time, of which 45 min is actual work. The recipe is rated "medium".

How many calories are in a homemade Peking style roast duck with pancakes?

About 860 kcal per person, for a recipe meant for 6 people. The calories are calculated by Kiloach, your kilo coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a homemade Peking style roast duck with pancakes cost?

About €7.80 per person, that's €46.80 for 6 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, soy, sesame. Remember to ask your guests about their allergies before putting your menu together.

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